Transcript How to speak about your organization and it’s needs

How to speak about your
organization and it’s needs
Using
LOGIC &
PASSION
You become the Storyteller
• Every well written book or article answers
five key questions:
– Who?
– What?
– Where?
– When?
– How?
Who?
• Think about who You Are and who
you intend to serve…this falls into
two broad categories:
– Most applications have a section for
background information. (history)
– Describe who you will serve. (clients or
cause)
What?
• You should be able to
describe clearly what it is
that you are going to do.
–For example…use specific details,
quantify program, etc.
Where?
• Define your TARGET area:
– Describe the AREA,
– Describe where services will take
place,
– Take opportunity to provide
evidence of facilities,
equipment, etc. necessary to
carry-out the project.
When?
• A project will usually last for a specific
period of time…
• You should describe the
hours of operation…
Why?
• Your project should have some
rationale behind it. You should be able
to explain factors like:
– Why are you targeting THIS group?
– Why you have decided upon THIS course of
action?
– Why you will provide services in a particular
place?
– Why have you decided on the specified times?
How?
• You should be able to describe HOW
your project will be implemented.
– Sometimes called ‘approach’, ‘plan’, or project
description
– Should be longest section of your proposal
– Explains all the mechanics of how a project
will be carried out
– Should demonstrate that you have thoroughly
considered all the details involved.
RESULT?
• Your ‘Project/Program’ has identified a clear
need, a qualified approach, and a defined
recipient group and measurable objective for
the funder review board to discuss at their
next grant review meeting.
“So, Why didn’t I receive funding”?
• “Each year the Foundation funds approximately one in
every 20 unsolicited proposals it receives. Due to the
volume of requests received and finite resources
available, many excellent proposals even those that
match our priorities, fail to receive Foundation
funding…Some of the possible reasons why a proposal
does not rise to the top”:
• “The proposal spends too much time on concepts about a
need that is not being met, but does not give specifics of
what the project activity is, or what the youth will do
and/or how many young people will be involved, or how
their activities address the need”.
•
• “The project does not appear sustainable, and we do not
give multi-year grants”.
From the Charlotte Martin Foundation website: www.charlottemartin.org
Funding statistics:
Ratios of Success
»1:20 ~when no initial contact has
been made
»1:5 ~when contacting foundation
and getting ‘green light to apply’
»1:2 ~When you have a positive
LOI in hand, or have previously
been funded by the foundation.
•Source: Foundation Center
Advanced Grant Writing 2007
Section 2 – Now that you
know what you know,
let the work begin!
Nuts & Bolts –
How to write
to the funder’s directives
(What do all those
terms really mean?)
Alphabet soup of
Federal Acronyms
Initial Terms to Understand:
o‘Background’ & ‘Mission Statement’;
o‘Need’ and/or ‘Statement of Need’;
o‘Description of the Project’;
oDocumenting ‘organizational
worthiness’, ‘qualifications &
competency’
When writing a Federal Proposal:
• Although it is NOT required, ALWAYS write
it in the order it is outlined in the Criteria
and Scoring Section—
• WHY?
• You will score higher when you write for
the reviewer who will be scoring the
document!
How to make sure
YOUR presentation gets
serious consideration
• First thing is to introduce yourself and
make a positive impression:
Your History & Accomplishments
Section
• Do not make this critical error:
– Talking about your problem or how you will
solve it in your first paragraph.
• First and foremost, your funder is
interested in the background & history of
your organization.
Your History Should be
Interesting…
• Write relevantly and accurately
• Tell WHEN your organization was
founded.
• Tell WHY it was founded
• Tell WHERE it was founded
• Tell WHAT services it provides
• Tell WHO it serves
Sample:
2
The Inner-city LE Youth Program was begun in 1976
during our nation’s year-long Bicentennial Celebration.
During that time, our founder, Dr. Michael Townsend, a
mental health counselor, asked youth to meet weekly in
downtown Baltimore to discuss social changes and
challenges important to them. Although they presented
great difference of opinion on social issues, the
participating youth unanimously agreed how beneficial the
adult-to-youth interactive environment and mentorship had
been to them. This adult-level friendship helped them
navigate numerous challenges of growing up in a rapidly
changing environment.
Thirty years later, much of the inner-city streets of
Baltimore have been changed by urban renewal and
housing renovation programs. Within this new landscape,
mentoring programs for high school aged youth at-risk
remain our core focus…
Discuss your Mission Statement
and Major Accomplishments:
• If it is long and complicated, provide an
abbreviated version.
– Tell what it really is saying and what it means.
– What if it has ‘religious phrasing’ and the
funder states they will not fund ‘religious
groups, programs, etc.’? Is there room for
applying?
Example:
2
• The Mission of ‘The LE Youth Program’ is
to:
–Engage young people in meaningful
mentor relationships, whereby they can
Live, Learn, Experience and Explore
their value as a member of society.
Accomplishments
• If your organization has significant years of
operating history, you will want to note about 3-5
key highlights.
• Since it’s inception in 1976, a total of 1,700 at-risk youth have
been served. During our last fiscal year we served 87 highly
at-risk teens (at risk for school drop out, incarceration or reincarceration, drug use, teen pregnancy, etc.)
• In 2004 & 2005, The Governor’s Task Force recognized LE 2
as one of the ‘top 50 programs’ in our state for the successful
role we have played in helping kids mature well.
• Seventy-Eight of our initial youth participants are now serving
as adult role-model mentors. Several of these mentors have
assumed roles of community leadership as business owners,
nonprofit volunteers, and even city-council members.
Accomplishments Con’t.
2
– LE has been very successful at
collaborating with other community
private and public entities.
– We have a strong service agreement with local
school district #452, which provides excellent
leadership training sessions for our mentors
from amongst their certified school counselors.
– 14 area faith-based organizations and Houses
of Worship participate in our Mentor-Outreach
programs. Several Youth Pastors serve as
Mentors, and provide direct family counseling
services for our program.
Need
• It is critical to document the needs of your
community, service area, region, etc. with
verifiable information. Use national and local
statistics if possible to underscore the urgency of
the situation.
• Make sure this is conveyed correctly, do not over
simplify or over-emphasize.
• Do not note the problem as too big for your
organization or competency level to address!
Example: Big Problems, Big solutions:
•
Current economic conditions have resulted in a 26% increase in numbers of
persons seeking shelter and/or meals from ABC Shelter during this calendar
year.
•
The Greater Big County Area has at minimum 725- 807 homeless persons on
any given day according to the annual Point-In-Time-Survey.[ii] Conducted in
Jan. of 2006. Emergency Housing provided has continually exceeded the
Shelter’s current bed space of seventy beds, with an average client count of
99 persons nightly in 2007. In order to provide this shelter, persons have
been accommodated on mats on floors or in hallways when there was no
other option for saving lives on nights when temperatures dipped to teens,
single digits and below zero.
•
By undertaking this project, the Shelter will be able to increase the current
emergency shelter capacity by a total of 72%, allowing our facility to be used
to the fullest extent possible. We strive to provide compassionate care for all
those who seek our services, therefore this action will also make dramatic
inroads towards alleviating the situation described above.
•
•
•
Shelter Statistical data: Nights of housing (2007) 67,707
Meals at Shelter (2007) 238,000
[ii] Annual survey sponsored by the Montana Dept. of Public Health and Human Services, 2007.
Project/Program Narrative,
Description of Program/Project
• Everything you have stated so far will point to
this area of the grant so it will not be a surprise if
you note the following:
• The Project we are undertaking, called “A Place
to Call Home” is a fully articulated plan to add an
additional 50 beds at THE Shelter, which will
increase our service capacity by a full 72% over
current bed spaces available.
Next, talk about your plan.
• Tell HOW you developed the plan
• Tell WHAT exactly will happen
• Tell Why you have chosen this plan of
action
• Tell Where and When it will take place.
• Tell WHO is involved in carrying out ‘the
plan’ and WHY they are qualified to
accomplish it.
Documenting ‘organizational worthiness’,
‘qualifications & competency’
• This can also be incorporated into the
narrative portion…for example:
• Our Shelter Manager, Mr. Good, has
overseen several renovation projects
during his 14 year tenure. In each of these
instances, he worked with…
Discuss Details…
• The minor renovations to dormitory space
and construction of sleeping quarters will
occur during the warmer months of May,
June and July, when the number of those
seeking shelter typically drops by 30%.
This will guarantee the best outcomes for
clients service levels during the renovation
project.
Explain how you will measure
the success of the program/project…
Goals & Objectives
• What is a Goal?
• What is an Objective?
• How do you know if you’ve accomplished
them?
Objectives:
• By definition, an objective is a statement
with action, which has a measurement
component included. For example:
• Objective #1:
– increase capacity of shelter beds by a
minimum of 50%
– Reduce number of clients sleeping on floor by
50 persons nightly
Evaluation is Important!
• If you have included ‘measureable Objectives”
you can provide a firm evaluation of the
project/program success.
• Without measureable Objectives, it becomes
difficult, if not impossible, to determine
effectiveness.
• Evaluation will always serve to improve an
organization.
Who should Evaluations Include?
• Key staff (Program, ED)
• Board Members (they are responsible for
programs too)
• Program Recipients
• Community Stakeholders
• Depending on project, Data Specialists
trained to analyze key data regarding
outcomes.
Budget and Budget Justification
(also called Budget Narrative)
• This is not always the last thing
you compose, but it is usually the
last item in the proposal.
• Funders will often read this page
first! Why?
Creating a Justifiable Grant Budget
Description –Annual Budget Organization XYZ
1 Personnel
Annual Costs
225,000
2 Rent (Building Use, Maint. Etc.)
18,000
3 Utilities (heat, electric, propane)
2,575
4 Telephone, IT Service
1,800
5 Supplies (paper, program, etc.)
25,000
6 Equipment (durable)
10,000
7 Fuel, Transportation
1,950
8 Advertising, Marketing
4,000
9 Contracted Outside Services
7,500
10 Travel (outside, training, conference)
1,250
11 Other, Misc.
3,000
TOTAL
300,075
Description, Organization XYZ
Annual
Program
Program
Admin.
Costs
A
B
Costs
After
School
1
Personnel
2
Rent (incl. Building use, maint)
3
Summer
day camp
225,000
100,800
18,000
16,000
2,000
Utilities
2,575
2,075
500
4
Telephone, Internet
1,800
800
1,000
5
Supplies
25,000
16,000
8,000
1,000
6
Equipment (durable)
10,000
3,000
5,000
2,000
7
Fuel, transportation
1,950
500
1,200
250
8
Advertising
4,000
1,500
1,500
1,000
9
Contracted Services
7,500
500
1,000
6,000
10
Outside Travel
1,250
750
500
11
Other, Misc.
3,000
1,300
1,000
700
$ 300,075
$142,475
$ 122,650
$ 34,950
(11%)
Total
104,200
20,000
What is a Budget Narrative?
• Lets take a look at the handout—
• This becomes a great document to note all
the details you couldn’t fit in the proposal
• It provides opportunity to really prove why
you need something
Pulling it all together
o Cover Letter
o Executive Summaries,
o Table of Contents/Indexes,
o formatting & packaging
(use of headers/footers),
o charts,
o bulleting, color,
o Watermarks or imbedded photos
Cover Letter
• A well written Cover Letter can help detail
‘why’ you have appealed to THIS
foundation
• Introduces the Executive Director and their
support of the application
• Re-affirms the project/program’s
importance to the Mission of the
Organization
• Provides the amount being sought
Know your attachments!
o Items often Requested:
o IRS ruling of nonprofit status [ 501 (c) 3 ]
o List of Board of Directors
o Annual Budget (operating budget)
o Balance Sheet
o Copy of most recent Form 990
o Copy of most recent Audit
o Informational Brochure
Things NOT to send:
•
•
•
•
•
DVD’s
Videos
Catalogues
Multiple Newsletters
Don’t add potential funders to your mailing
list…Why?
What is the difference between an
LOI and a proposal?
• A well written LOI tells the potential funder
the key facts and piques their interest to
know more.
• Why do Foundations Use Them?
LOI Rules:
•
•
•
•
•
Keep it to two pages or less
Make it a ‘mini-proposal’
Use a one page budget
Use a cover letter
In some cases, you might include a
brochure
Executive Summaries,
Table of Contents
• Use an Executive Summary or Project
Abstract only when asked for
• Use a Table of Contents when you have 5
or more pages in your Proposal
• Always use an Executive
Summary/Abstract in a Federal Proposal
• Always use an index/table of contents in a
Federal Proposal
Finally…
•formatting & packaging
(+ use of headers/footers),
•charts,
•Bulleting and use of color
• The Causes: The 2006 Survey of the Homeless
presented respondents with a list of possible causes for
their homelessness. The choices could be categorized in
over-arching issues: disability, poverty, domestic abuse,
and release from judicial facility or aging out of foster
care, lifestyle choice and other. Sixty percent of all
responses fell into the disability and poverty categories
combined. More than half (52 percent) of chronically
homeless persons cited disability; 64 percent of
homeless families with children cited poverty or
domestic abuse[1
Homeless Families with Children
Clearly, ending homelessness
for these populations
requires a large response
from many arenas.
Domestic
Abuse
23%
Aged out of
System
3%
Lifestyle
choice
5%
Other
12%
Disability
16%
Poverty
41%
• Further review of donor statistics as depicted in
the chart below have identified that there are few
major donors relative to the total number of
donors, and the current rate of donor retention
has much room for improvement.
Donor Segmentation
6755
Total Donors
4111
Regular -- up to $99
2434
Mid-Major -- $100 - $499
210
Major -- gifts $500 +
Use Bullet Points & Bold to add
interest and break up a page:
• Plan & Expected Results: The SHELTER has
opportunity to systematically change the methods used
for raising supportive dollars. This will directly impact
both the amount of funds available for programs, and
quantity and quality of care provided to homeless
individuals through creating and filling the position of
Development Director.
OR…
Using bullet points to get the point
across…
Objectives: The following primary objectives have been identified.
• Increase donated dollars by 10% annually. This will occur
through:
• Bring best management practices to bear on fundraising efforts
• Increase grant support from current rate of less than 2% up to 10%
over three years.
– Target of increased grant support to 5% first year
– Target of increased grant support to 7% second year
– Target of increased grant support maintained at 7% and increasing to 10%
third year.
• Increase donor retention rates by a minimum of 15% annually
• This will be accomplished through more personal donor
communications, resulting in stronger donor relationships with the
organization.
Packaging & Sending
• Use folders found at any office supply
store (the inexpensive kind)
• Don’t bind your proposal…why?
• Don’t spend money on next-day
delivery…plan ahead and send it in early.
• A deadline is the last day it can be
received, not the target date for getting it
done!
Go Green…Recycle
• Once you have a proposal put together
well, you can certainly ‘recycle it’…if you
have written sections you are very proud
of, use them again and again.
• Keeping your proposal components in files
helps you use and re-use portions over
and over...you will get better at amending
what needs to be changed as you gather
experience.
Celebrate the Victories!
• After you complete a proposal and send it
on it’s way, remember to celebrate the
milestone regardless of the outcome!
• This is an important step to keep things in
perspective and balance as you work in
the ‘background’ of fundraising efforts.